My name is Erin Furriel. I am a divorced mother of two children. My son is 10 years old. He has been diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, and severe anger outbursts. I am currently waiting to hear back from a Neuropsychologist. My daughter is 8 years old and has ADHD.

God has given me two amazing children, and it has made me stronger. We relocated to North Carolina, where we started a new life.

I was diagnosed on February 1, 2022, with Breast cancer stage 2. At the time, I was working for FedEx Express and loved it. The doctors found that I had two lumps in my right breast, and that it had metastasized to my lymph nodes. I went through eight rounds of chemotherapy, twenty-eight rounds of radiation. I also had a DMX with lymph node removal on both sides and directly to implants. The recovery time was over a year. 

After being cleared by my doctor, I returned to work. This time, it was the Child Development Center at MCCS. I loved spending time with the kids, working with children from 6 weeks old up to 5 years old. 

In March of 2024, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, stage 4, with a pleural region of my right . April would have been 1 year NED. I went through all the testing and continued to work while taking chemotherapy. My treatment plan wad 21 days of taking Kisqali and 7 days off, and every 4 weeks, I g Faslodex injections in my lower back. My employer and I concluded that my attendance was being diagnostically affected by my cancer. So, I was released from work in September. Now, most recently I broke my leg in April. I had surgery and now have two screws in my left leg, and I am still walking with my brace and crutches.

I applied for SS Disability and was approved in November 2024. My income is $1,179/month. My disability does not cover everything that I need to be able to support my two children. It does not cover all my bills. We receive food stamps and have meals brought to us by our church. We are also covered by Medicaid, so I owe nothing on medical bills, which has helped drastically. I only pay the co-pays for my visits and meds. Which is tough. Thankfully, one of my friends has stepped in to help pay for my car insurance, to make sure that I am covered on it. 

My cancer has limited my ability to work, so I spend a lot of my time with children. We go on outings and spend our weekends playing video games. We each have an Xbox, tablets, and a Nintendo Switch.  Before I was diagnosed with cancer, I was able to provide so much for my children with no worries about how we were going to make it each month. I shop at thrift stores to make ends meet for my children. Their school and afternoon sports, including soccer and taekwondo, are paid for by a scholarship.

God bless you all & thank you, Erin Furriel